Men arrested in thefts of trade secrets from gun parts maker

Published: Monday, September 16, 2013 at 5:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, September 17, 2013 at 12:10 p.m.

Two men arrested over the weekend are accused of stealing gun parts plans and a client list from their former employer, sheriff's deputies said.

Mark Hazelip, 42, of Ormond Beach, and Jake Economou, 31, of Deltona, were each charged with theft of trade secrets, arrest reports show.

Hazelip and Economou reportedly stole computer programs, blueprints, drawings and a list of customers from Tactical Machining of DeLand, a company that produces upper and lower receivers for AR-15 rifles, other firearms and firearm parts, sheriff's investigators said.

Hazelip quit working in January and went to work for Daytona CNC in Holly Hill. Economou, who was fired for falsifying his time cards at Tactical Machining at the end of May, also joined Hazelip at his new employment. Daytona CNC, a company that also owns Complete Custom Wheels, is at 618 South Ridgewood Ave in Holly Hill.

Hazelip started saying he would put Tactical Machining out of business, investigators said.

Investigators were first tipped about the stolen plans by another Tactical Machining employee, Grady Davis, who was lured to Daytona CNC with the promise of double pay. After a week at the Holly Hill company, Davis saw drawings, two AR-15 lower receivers and a 3D image of an AR-15 lower receiver Hazelip pulled from a computer belonging to Tactical Machining, deputies said.

Davis went to the owners of Tactical Machining in August and told them of what he saw at Daytona CNC , investigators said.

On Sept. 4, investigators executed a search warrant at Daytona CNC and found the Tactical Machining blueprints and drawings for the gun parts and a spiral bound notebook with the name of clients in Hazelip's desk. Hazelip admitted taking pictures of his former company's machines but refused to say more and asked for an attorney, reports show.

<p>Two men arrested over the weekend are accused of stealing gun parts plans and a client list from their former employer, sheriff's deputies said.</p><p>Mark Hazelip, 42, of Ormond Beach, and Jake Economou, 31, of Deltona, were each charged with theft of trade secrets, arrest reports show.</p><p>Hazelip and Economou reportedly stole computer programs, blueprints, drawings and a list of customers from Tactical Machining of DeLand, a company that produces upper and lower receivers for AR-15 rifles, other firearms and firearm parts, sheriff's investigators said.</p><p>Hazelip quit working in January and went to work for Daytona CNC in Holly Hill. Economou, who was fired for falsifying his time cards at Tactical Machining at the end of May, also joined Hazelip at his new employment. Daytona CNC, a company that also owns Complete Custom Wheels, is at 618 South Ridgewood Ave in Holly Hill. </p><p>Hazelip started saying he would put Tactical Machining out of business, investigators said.</p><p>Investigators were first tipped about the stolen plans by another Tactical Machining employee, Grady Davis, who was lured to Daytona CNC with the promise of double pay. After a week at the Holly Hill company, Davis saw drawings, two AR-15 lower receivers and a 3D image of an AR-15 lower receiver Hazelip pulled from a computer belonging to Tactical Machining, deputies said.</p><p>Davis went to the owners of Tactical Machining in August and told them of what he saw at Daytona CNC , investigators said.</p><p>Darren Peters, Chief executive officer for Tactical Machining told investigators it was determined Econonmou downloaded the company's list of customers. Economou denied stealing the clients' list but admitted to making a handwritten list, investigators said.</p><p>On Sept. 4, investigators executed a search warrant at Daytona CNC and found the Tactical Machining blueprints and drawings for the gun parts and a spiral bound notebook with the name of clients in Hazelip's desk. Hazelip admitted taking pictures of his former company's machines but refused to say more and asked for an attorney, reports show.</p>